'Endings' ends as 'Maron' begins

One sitcom ends tonight while another begins. Whether their trajectories reflect a trend or are just coincidence is beyond me.

One sitcom ends tonight while another begins. Whether their trajectories reflect a trend or are just coincidence is beyond me.

Rescheduled from last week, "Happy Endings" (8 p.m., TV-14, and 8:30 p.m., TV-PG, ABC) wraps up its third season with Jane (Eliza Coupe) planning the perfect wedding for her all-too-perfect sister.

While ABC has made no announcements, few who follow television ratings think there will be any further beginnings for "Endings." Like too many comedies, it was bounced from night to night by its network, finally landing on Fridays, considered by many to be a way station to the TV netherworld. It says something that NBC pulled "Grimm" from Fridays just before renewing it — and "Revolution," "Parenthood," "Chicago Fire" and "Law & Order: SVU" — for another season.

According to some television writers and critics, "Happy Endings" had a passionate fan base. If it did, these people stopped showing up to watch the series. While "Endings" features rapid-fire dialogue and pop culture references, just as the more cartoonish "Community" does, it's had the distinct disadvantage of appearing to be the umpteenth iteration of a show about a gaggle of idle, silly 30-somethings cracking wise at the coffee shop.

— Over on IFC, "Maron" (10 p.m., TV-14) premieres. Based on the popular podcast by dyspeptic comic Marc Maron, "Maron" showcases the musings of a downbeat personality on the futility of life — or at least his life. Like "Curb Your Enthusiasm" and "Louie," this series asks viewers to wallow in the bitter self-absorption of a man old enough to be the harried father (or at least the jaded uncle) of self-indulgent teens.

Maron's self-loathing is matched by the grim interior decoration of his modest house. His podcasts emanate from his dimly lit garage. His most dependable relationships are with his cats. But as if to undercut the miserable guy vibe, "Maron" is stuffed with special celebrity guest appearances, including Illeana Douglas, Dave Foley, Jeff Garlin, Gina Gershon, Bobcat Goldthwait, Denis Leary, Aubrey Plaza, Adam Scott, Eric Stoltz and Danny Trejo.

— Nicole Eggert, who was recently bruised by her participation in the ABC diving competition "Splash," stars in the 2008 mystery "Past Lies" (8 on Lifetime Movie Network) about a soccer mom with a sordid past.

— Bravo repeats the remarkable 2012 documentary "The Queen of Versailles" (9 p.m.), the true-life tale of former billionaires all but entombed by their tacky, unfinished mansion and beset by sullen, ill-raised children and un-housetrained dogs. An extreme variation on "The Real Housewives" genre with much more bite.

— A Nashville restaurant is out of tune on "Kitchen Nightmares" (8 p.m., Fox, TV-14).